‘Hunger’ bests newcomers on Friday

Lionsgate actioner expected to cross $300 mil Stateside this frame

Beating back a 3D reissue and the fourth installment of a popular comedy franchise, Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games” took its third consecutive Friday at the domestic B.O. with $12.9 million.

Down only about 30% from last Friday, the boffo actioner should cross the $300 million mark in its Stateside cume this frame.

Universal’s “American Reunion” opened to $9.2 million Friday for second. Coming 13 years after the original installment, “Reunion” is looking to land around $22 million through Sunday — a figure made more impressive by the fact that the Easter holiday weekend is better known for holding up family fare than R-rated laffers.

Paramount’s 3D “Titanic” retread got a head start on the weekend by opening Wednesday. Pic earned $7.1 million Friday for a cume of $15.5 million, which will likely keep “Titanic” from hitting $30 million in five days as previously suggested.

However, with “Titanic’s” $18 million post conversion to 3D, (at the higher end of conversion costs), the risk is low for Paramount domestically and for Fox, which is releasing overseas. On its initial run, “Titanic” opened to just $28.6 million in 1997, and went on to cume $600.8 million during its domestic lifetime.

Just outside the day’s highest grossers, Sony’s “21 Jump Street” cume crossed the $100 million mark on Friday. Pic is in its fourth week.